Description: Large siskin of 14–15 cm, robust and confiding, with the longest wings and the longest, straightest bill among siskins of northern and central-western Argentina. Male: head, chest, and belly deep golden-yellow, often very bright during the breeding season; back olive-yellow with faint grayish mottling; rump bright yellow; wings long and grayish with pale edges, appearing browner in summer due to wear; tail brownish-gray with yellow edges. Female: uniformly brownish-gray above, with pale yellowish throat and belly, and lightly streaked grayish flanks and back; duller than other female siskins. Juvenile: grayish-brown, streaked above and on the chest, with slightly cinnamon-toned wings; little yellow.

Distribution: Argentine and Chilean Andes. In Argentina: from Catamarca southward along the Andes and precordillera, present in La Rioja, San Juan, Mendoza, Neuquén, Río Negro, and reaching Santa Cruz, where it occurs on western plateaus. Also in Sierra de la Ventana (Buenos Aires), where the proposed population “Ventanero Siskin” (Sicalis holmbergi) occurs. Also recorded in Salta, Jujuy, and Tucumán. General elevation: 500–3,000 m (up to 4,000–4,500 m in the north; lower in Patagonia). In winter it descends to lower elevations and may shift northward in the central-southern region.

Habitat: High Andean steppes, rocky screes, slopes, open ravines, and edges of Andean wetlands. Common near settlements, outposts, and old constructions, which it uses for nesting. In Patagonia it also occurs in lower, more herbaceous environments.

Behavior: Confiding. Feeds on the ground in pairs or groups; in winter also with sierra-finches, sparrows, and other siskins. Low, direct flight. The bulky male often perches sitting, hiding its legs. Emits a sharp, metallic, vibrant trill, fast and electric, with short or long phrases. Variable series of notes: “chrruíe–chuii–chuiii,” sometimes more nasal and buzzing.

Diet: Mainly seeds; also buds and grains. Searches for food on bare ground, rocks, and slopes.

Reproduction: Nests in rock crevices, cavity walls, earthen banks, and anthropic constructions made of adobe or stone. Lays 3 cream-colored eggs with brown spots.

Conservation status: Not threatened. Common in suitable habitats and tolerant of low-impact rural areas.

Authors of this compilation: Diego Carus and Maria Belén Dri – 06/12/2025